It's been nearly a month since a man was hit and killed on the side of Interstate 40. Family and friends have expressed frustration with a lack of answers, but investigators said processing the scene and gathering leads takes time.
Randy Hammer was walking on the interstate near Mt. Juliet in March when he was hit. His body was not discovered until a few days later on March 21.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Hammer died as a result of a hit-and-run. They have interviewed the alleged driver but no charges have been filed.
John Hammer, the father of Randy, reached out to NewsChannel 5 frustrated about why charges have yet to be filed.
We took those complaints to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
"This is a very complex incident we are working," spokesperson Lt. Bill Miller said.
Authorities said even though the driver did not stop after hitting Hammer, the issue is not as black and white as some may think.
"Was this a criminal act or was this not a criminal act? We need to make sure we do our due justice," Miller said.
So far, the driver in this incident is cooperating with the investigation. To add to the complexity, Miller said they have to look into why Hammer was on the interstate. It is illegal for anyone to walk on the Interstate, unless an emergency requires someone to do so.
Overall, authorities said the investigation will take time and it is not something they want to rush.
"We want to stress to the families that we're doing everything we can to make sure we get the accurate information recorded, and that the accurate assumption of the crash is found," said Miller.
Hammer was 34-years-old when he was killed.
